Armies of the British Empire
The British Empire's land forces are the least powerful part of the British Empire's armed forces. This does not mean that they are weak, rather it reflects the British strategy of reliance on air and naval forces to protect the Empire. The British Empire's land forces are divided into European forces and Colonial forces. The Dominions have independent control of their land forces. These are less integrated than the Empire's air and naval forces. A large portion of the British Army consist of motorised light infantrry, who are considered ideal for most colonial missions. Armoured and mechanised forces tend to be kept in the UK. Most crown colonies raise military forces. These vary greatly in size and capability from the Falkland Islands Defence Force (1 reinforced light infantry company) to the Rhodesian Army (two brigades). Many of the colonial forces are not titled "Army", but are titled as British Army Regiments (i.e. Bermuda Regiment rather than Bermuda Army) Most British Army Battalions are intended to form part of brigades (which hold virtually all support services necessary for operations in the field). Colonial battalions can sometimes appear to be miniatures of complete armies. The Papuan Infantry Battalion includes howitzers, and anti-aircraft guns, where a British battalion would have a small number of mortars and shoulder-fired surface to air missiles. =Armies= British Army *3 Airborne Brigades *3 Airmobile Brigades *21 Infantry Brigades *9 Armoured Brigades *12 Mechanised Brigades British Forces Borneo Territories *2 Infantry Brigades British Forces Malaya *2 Infantry Brigades British Forces Gulf Region *2 Infantry Brigades *2 Mechanised Brigades British Forces Africa *9 Infantry Brigades *2 Mechanised Brigades British Forces Pacific *1 Infantry Brigade British Forces India *9 Infantry Brigades *2 Mechanised Brigades British Forces Caribbean *1 Infantry Brigade British Indian Army *24 Infantry Brigades *6 Armoured Brigades *9 Mechanised Brigades Australian Army *2 Infantry Brigades *1 Mechanised Brigade *1 Airborne Battalion Canadian Army *3 Mechanised Brigades *3 Infantry Brigades Irish Army *1 Infantry Brigade New Zealand Army *2 Infantry Brigades South African Army *6 Infantry Brigades *2 Mechanised Brigades *1 Armoured Brigade *1 Airborne Battalion *2 Airmobile Battalion The Gambia Company *1 Reinforced Light Infantry Company The Gold Coast Regiment *2 Infantry Battalions Kenyan Rifles *2 Infantry Brigades Northern Nigeria Regiment *2 Infantry Battalions Northern Rhodesia Regiment *1 Infantry Brigade Rhodesian Army *3 Infantry Brigades The Sierra Leone Battalion *2 Infantry Battalions Somaliland Scouts *1 Infantry Brigade Southern Nigeria Regiment *2 Infantry Battalions Tanganyika Rifles *1 Infantry Brigade Uganda Rifles *2 Infantry Brigades Ceylon Defence Force (CDF) *1 Infantry Brigade Fiji Infantry Regiment *2 Infantry Battalions Malayan Army *2 Infantry Brigades New Hebrides Mobile Force *1 Infantry Company Papuan Infantry Battalion *1 Infantry Battalion Singapore Army *3 Infantry Brigades British Solomon Islands Protectorate Defence Force *2 Infantry Battalions Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) *2 Infantry Battalions Barbados Regiment *1 Infantry Battalion Bermuda Regiment *1 Infantry Battalion Guiana Regiment *2 Infantry Battalions Jamaica Regiment *2 Infantry Battalions Leeward Islands Regiment *2 Infantry Battalions Trinidad and Tobago Regiment *2 Infantry Battalions Windward Islands Regiment *2 Infantry Battalions Falkland Islands Defence Force *1 Reinforced Light Infantry Company Protectorate Armies =Equipment= Small Arms Pistols *Browning L9A1 9mm SAA Pistol *L47A1 7.65mm Pistol (Walther PP) *L105A1 9mm SAA Pistol (FN HP-DA) *L117A2 9mm SAA Pistol (FN HP-DA Compact) Submachine Guns *L2A3 Sterling 9mm SAA Submachine Gun **L34A1 Sterling 9mm SAA Suppressed Submachine Gun *L92A1 9mm SAA Submachine Gun (Heckler & Koch MP5A3) **L80A1 9mm SAA Submachine Gun (Heckler & Koch MP5K) **L90A1 9mm SAA Submachine Gun (Heckler & Koch MP5KA1) **L91A1 9mm SAA Submachine Gun (Heckler & Koch MP5SD3) *F1 9mm SAA Submachine Gun (Australian Army, Fiji Infantry Regiment, New Hebrides Mobile Force, Papuan Infantry Battalion) Rifles and Carbines *L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle .308" SAA **L2A1 Automatic Rifle .308" SAA http://www.westcountyguns.com/frankmachinegunday/35-L2A1.jpg *SA80 Series **L85A2 .223" SAA Rifle **L86A2 .223" SAA Designated Marksman Rifle **L22A2 .223" SAA Carbine *L109A1 .223" SAA Rifle (FN FNC) *L119A1 Special Forces Weapon .223" SAA Carbine (FN SCAR-L) *L120A1 Special Forces Weapon .308" SAA Carbine (FN SCAR-H) Sniper Rifles *L96A1 .308" SAA Sniper Rifle *L115A1 .338" SAA Sniper Rifle *AWC .308" SAA Suppressed Sniper Rifle *AW50F .5" SAA Sniper Rifle *L82A1 .5" SAA Sniper Rifle Machine Guns *L108A1 MINIMI .223" SAA Light Machine Gun *L110A1 MINIMI Para .223" SAA Light Machine Gun *L7A2 .308" SAA General Purpose Machine Gun *L4A1 Bren .308" SAA Light Machine Gun *L2A1 .5" SAA Heavy Machine Gun *L3 .308" SAA Medium Machine Gun (Browning M1919) Infantry Support Weapons *L17A1 40mm Under-slung Grenade Launcher (ISTEC ISL 274 on L119) **L17A2 40mm Under-slung Grenade Launcher (ISTEC ISL 274 on L85A2) **L17A2 40mm Under-slung Grenade Launcher (ISTEC ISL 274 on L1A1) *L19A1 40mm Automatic Grenade Launcher (Vektor Y3 AGL) *L9A1 2in Light Mortar *L16 3.1in Mortar *L74A1 12 Bore Combat Shotgun (12ga. Akind Pump Action Shotgun) *L128A1 12 Bore Combat Shotgun (Armsel Protecta) **L128A2 12 Bore Combat Shotgun (Armsel Protecta Bulldog) Infantry Anti-Armour Weapons *L14A1 Carl Gustav 3.3in Recoilless Rifle *L1A1 2.5in Rocket **Light Anti-Structures Missile *LAW 80 Anti Tank Weapon *L2A1 ILAW (AT4) Anti Tank Weapon *NLAW (MBT LAW) *L6 WOMBAT 4.7in Recoilless Rifle Less-Lethal Weapons *L1A1 66mm Grenade Discharger *ARWEN 37mm Multiple Grenade Discharger Armoured Vehicles Tanks *FV4034 Challenger 2 MBT **Challenger Trinity SPAAG **Titan Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge **Challenger Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle (CRARRV) **Trojan Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers *FV4030 Challenger 1 MBT *FV 4201 Chieftain MBT **Chieftain Trinity SPAAG **Chieftain AVLB (Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge) **Chieftain ARV (Armoured Recovery Vehicle) **Chieftain ARRV (Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle) **Chieftain AVRE (Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers) *Vickers Mark 3 Main Battle Tank **Vickers Mark 3 Trinity SPAAG **Vickers Mark 3 ARV (Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle) **Vickers Mark 3 AVLB (Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge) **Precentor (6.1in Howitzer on Vickers Mk 3 chassis) *Vickers Mark 1 Vijayanta Main Battle Tank (mainly British Indian Army) **Kartik Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge **Sadhu (6.1in Howitzer on Vickers Vijayanta chassis) **Vickers Mark 1 Vijayanta Trinity SPAAG **Vickers Mark 1 Vijayanta ARV (Armoured Recovery Vehicle) Armoured Personnel Carriers *FV510 Warrior Series **FV510 Infantry Section Vehicle (CTAI turret with the 40mm CTWS) ***MILAN ATGW Team Carrier (carries two MILAN fireteams (2 men each), 2 firing posts, and reload missiles) ***Starstreak HVM Team Carrier (carries two HVM fireteams (2 men each), 2 aiming units, and reload missiles) **FV511 Infantry Command Vehicle **FV512 Mechanised Combat Repair Vehicle **FV513 Mechanised Recovery Vehicle (Repair) **FV514 Mechanised Artillery Observation Vehicle **FV 515 Battery Command Vehicle *FV430 Series **FV432 Armoured Personnel Carrier ***Infantry ****L16 3.1in Mortar Portee ****L6 WOMBAT 4.7in Recoilless Rifle Portee ****L14A1 Carl Gustav 3.3in Recoilless Rifle Portee ***Royal Artillery ****Battery Command Post - BATES battlefield artillery target engagement system ****Battery Command Post - FACE fire control computer ****Cymbeline mortar-locating radar ****Observation Vehicle ***Royal Engineers ****L9 anti-tank Bar Mine Layer ****L10 Ranger Anti-Personnel Mine Launcher ****Towed Giant Viper mine-clearing system **FV434 "Carrier, Maintenance, Full Tracked" - REME Maintenance carrier with hydraulically driven crane. **FV435 Wavell communications vehicle **FV436 Command and control - some fitted with Green Archer radar, later Cymbeline radar. **FV438 Swingfire - Guided missile launcher ***FV438 TOW - Guided missile launcher **FV439 Signals vehicle - Many variants. *Saxon APC **Saxon Command Vehicle **Saxon 3.1in Mortar Carrier **Saxon Ambulance *Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle **Troop variant **Command variant **Assault Pioneer variant **Mortar variant **Direct Fire Weapons variant **Ambulance variant Reconnaissance Vehicles *Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) Series **FV101 Scorpion 90 - Light Tank **FV102 Striker - Anti-tank guided missile **FV103 Spartan - Armoured Personnel Carrier **FV104 Samaritan - Battlefield Ambulance **FV105 Sultan - Command and Control Vehicle **FV106 Samson - Armoured Recovery Vehicle **FV107 Scimitar - Light Tank **FV120 Spartan with Milan compact turret - Anti-tank guided missile *FV721 Fox *Alvis Stormer Series **FV4330 Stormer Light Tank - CTAI turret with the 40mm CTWS **FV4331 Stormer HVM - Short Range Air defence (with Starstreak High Velocity Missiles) **FV4332 Stormer Tank Destroyer - Kværner Eureka TOW turret **FV4333 Stormer APC **FV4334 Stormer Ambulance **FV4335 Stormer ARV **FV4336 Stormer Command Vehicle **FV4337 Stormer Fire Support Vehicle - GIAT TS 90 turret **FV4338 Shielder minelayer **FV4339 Stormer Cargo Carrier *Rooikat *Ferret armoured car Counter-Insurgency/Protected Patrol Vehicles *Shorland armoured car *Snatch Land Rover *Cheetah MMPV *Ridgback PPV (Cougar 4x4) *Antelope MPV (RG-31) *Mastiff PPV (Cougar 6x6) *Wolfhound PPV Engineering and Support Vehicles *Viking BVS10 *Terrier Armoured Combat Engineer Vehicle *FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor *Fuchs Nuclear and Chemical Reconnaissance and Survey Vehicle *Chubby (mine detection system) *Buffalo (mine protected vehicle) Artillery *AS-90 Braveheart (6.1in Howitzer L31 on Carrier Braveheart) *G6 (6.1in Howitzer L29 on Carrier G6) *6.1in Howitzer L121 (FH-70) *QF 33-pounder L118 Light Gun *Cardinal Multiple Launch Rocket System (8.9in 6 round MLRS on the Warrior chassis) *Lightweight Mobile Artillery Weapon System-Rocket (LIMAWS-R) *4.1in Pack Howitzer L13A1 (OTO Melara Mod 56) *FV433 Abbot (OF 33-pounder L109 on Carrier Abbot) *Precentor (6.1in Howitzer on Vickers Mk 3 chassis) *Sadhu (6.1in Howitzer on Vickers Vijayanta chassis) *Prelate (8in Howitzer on FV430 chassis) *Ordnance QF 25 pounder (Ceremonial saluting weapon only) Anti Tank *MILAN 2 *Swingfire *Ingwe Air Defence *Bofors 40mm/L70 anti aircraft gun **Bofors 40/70 towed **Challenger Trinity **Chieftain Trinity **G6 Trinity (South African Army) *Rapier FSC (Field Standard C) *Starburst (being phased out) *Starstreak HVM (High Velocity Missile) **Shoulder Launcher **Lightweight Multiple Launcher **FV4331 Stormer HVM *Land Dart Aircraft *Westland/Aerospatiale Gazelle AH.1 *Westland Lynx AH.7 *Westland/HAL Dhruv AH.1 *Westland Lynx AH.9 *Westland/Aerospatiale Puma HC.1 (Australian Army) *Westland/Denel Redhawk AH.1 *Britten-Norman Defender AL.1 **Britten-Norman Defender AL.2 **Britten-Norman Defender T.3 *Desert Hawk UAV *Agusta A109 AH.1 (captured from Argentina on the Falkland Islands) *Aerospatiale Dauphin AH.1 Historical Aircraft Flight *Agusta-Bell Sioux AH.1 *Auster AOP.9 *de Havilland Canada Chipmunk T.10 *de Havilland Canada Beaver AL.1 *Sud Alouette AH.2 *Westland Scout AH1 Aerial Weapons *L7A2 .308" SAA General Purpose Machine Gun *F2 20 mm cannon *68mm SNEB Rockets *Hawkswing *Mokopa Support Vehicles Light Support *Landrover **Land Rover Wolf Truck Utility Light and Medium (Higher Specification) (designated TUL-HS and TUM-HS) **Land Rover Defender Truck Utility Light and Medium (designated TUL and TUM) **Battlefield Ambulance - using Land Rover Defender 127" chassis High Mobility *Harley Davidson MT350E Motorcycle *Honda R250 Motorcycle *Carrier Full-tracked Articulated BV206 *Supacat All Terrain Mobility Platform (ATMP) Cargo Vehicles/Artillery Tractors *Land Rover 101 Forward Control Truck GS *Leyland/DAF 4 tonner *Bedford MK and MJ 4 tonne *Bedford TM 4x4 8 tonner *Bedford TM 6x6 14 tonner *DROPS **Leyland Medium Mobility Load Carrier **Foden Trucks EKF 6 x 6 Improved Medium Mobility Load Carrier Logistics Support Vehicles *Oshkosh Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) *Oshkosh Wheeled Tanker **15,000-litre Tactical Air Refueller **20,000-litre Close Support Tanker (Fuel) **18,000-litre Close Support Tanker (Water) *JCB Mechanical Handling Equipment *Kalamar Rough Terrain Container Handler (RTCH) Army Watercraft *2 Ramped Landing Craft Logistic *Combat Support Boat *Rigid Raider *Assault Boat Mk 6 *Assault Boat Mk 5 *Mexeflote Raft *Army Work Boats Engineering Equipment *Logistic Support Bridging (LSB) *M3 Amphibious Bridging Vehicle *BR90 Close Support Bridge **No 10 Bridge **No 11 Bridge **Tank Bridge Transporter (TBT) *No 12 Bridge *BR90 General Support Bridging (GSB) **Automotive Bridge Launching Equipment (ABLE) **Bridging Vehicles (BV) **Long Span Equipment (LSE) **General Support Bridge (GSB) 2 Span Pontoon **Medium Girder Over Bridge (MGOB) **Heavy Girder Over Bridge (HGOB) *Air Portable Ferry Bridge (APFB) **APFB Over Bridge (OB) **APFB Fly Fly Forward (FF) **APFB Single Storey (SS) **APFB Single Storey Reinforced (SSR) **APFB (Ferry) (FY)